Grocery games: Are these Costco items cheaper in the US or Canada?
Do you notice a major price difference if you’re a cross-border shopper and often head to the US to purchase groceries, especially at Costco?
Canadian TikToker Andy Shen conducts “cross border grocery games” at Costco locations in the Vancouver, BC, and Washington State areas and posts his findings on TikTok.
We featured some of his previous comparisons here, and he’s since featured more products, such as milk, eggs, and household items like detergent and paper towels.
Here are some of his latest US and Costco price comparisons. He used the exchange rate at the time of filming, so some of these prices may have fluctuated.
Bounty paper towels
Costco Canada sells Bounty Plus paper towels in a package of 12 for a regular price of C$27.99.
Costco US only sells “Bounty Advanced” paper towels. A package of 12 goes for US$24.99 or C$34.11. When Shen broke down the price per sheet, the Canadian paper towels were cheaper by 3%.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Bounty Paper Towels #costco #groceryshopping #canada #usa #inflation♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
Flour
A 20kg bag of Rogers Silver Star flour is C$21.49 at Costco Canada.
A bag of Ardent Mills Harvest flour is US$9.99 or C$13.59 for a 25-pound bag.
When both items are converted to price per kilogram, the Canadian flour is 10% cheaper, making it the better deal.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Bulk Flour #costco #groceryshopping #canada #usa #inflation♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
Tide HE liquid detergent
In Canada, a 4.82-litre bottle (146 loads) of Tide detergent is C$29.99.
In the US, a 170 oz bottle of the detergent is US$24.99 or C$33.99.
Shen compared the products based on price per load (Canadian Costco C$0.205/load vs US Costco C$0.224 per load) and found that Canadian Costco detergent is the cheapest option.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Tide HE Original Laundry Detergent #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
Kraft Dinner
At Canadian Costco a 12-pack of KD boxes is C$16.49. Each box contains 340 grams of product.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Kraft Dinner KD Mac and Cheese #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
The US version is sold in an 18-pack containing 7.25oz each (206 grams). The US KD costs US$15.89 (C$21.77) for the 18-pack.
Shen compares both country’s mac and cheese by weight and box. In Canada, the KD comes to C$0.40/100g. The US version comes to C$0.59/100g. The Canadian product is cheaper by weight.
However, when Shen crunches the numbers per box, the results change. The Canadian KD comes to C$1.37 per box. The US KD is C$1.21 per box, making the American mac and cheese cheaper per box (but it would have less product than the Canadian version).
Bananas
Bananas at Costco Canada are Del Monte brand and are C$1.99 for three pounds.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Bananas 3lb #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
Costco US sells the same Del Monte brand bananas, which are US$1.99 (C$2.73) for three pounds.
The Canadian bananas are cheaper.
Bacon
In Canada, Kirkland Signature Sliced Bacon (four packs with 500 grams of bacon each) sells for C$23.99.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Bacon from Kirkland Signature #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
In the US, the Kirkland Signature Sliced Bacon (four 1lb packs) comes in at US$17.99 or C$24.65.
When Shen does his calculations, Canadian bacon is cheaper (based on price per 100 grams).
Milk
At Canadian Costco, Kirkland Signature partly skimmed 2% milk, a Canadian product, is C$9.19 for a four-litre jug.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — 2% Organic Milk from Kirkland Signature #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
In the US, Costco sells organic, reduced-fat 2% milk (a US product) in a package that contains four half-gallon cartons. Shen notes that the ingredients listed in Canadian and US milk are very similar. The US product sells for US$12.49 (C$17.24).
Shen calculates the price comparison based on cost per litre. The Canadian milk costs C$2.30 per litre, and the American milk costs C$2.27 per litre. The US Costco milk is slightly cheaper, but due to “currency fluctuations,” Shen calls it a tie.
Eggs
Costco Canada sells a five-dozen package of Golden Valley large eggs for C$19.50 or C$3.90 per dozen. Shen notes that eggs vary by province, and the eggs in his video are from BC.
In the US, a package of five dozen Grade AA cage-free large eggs costs US$11.99 (C$16.43) or US$2.39 per dozen.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Large Eggs #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
When he breaks down the price per egg, one Canadian egg is C$0.325 whereas the US product costs C$0.274 per egg.
The US Costco eggs are cheaper.
You can check out more of Shen’s grocery game videos here.
What do you think of these US and Canada Costco price comparisons? Let us know in the comments.
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